Gallery: The stars shine bright on Suffolk - the photos that made the headlines

Friday, February 15, 2013
4.30 PM

Hundreds of guests packed into Shelley’s Restaurant at Suffolk New College, in Ipswich, on Friday night as the heart-warming and inspirational tales of charity champions, unsung heroes and sporting greats were told.

Teenager Rhys Joseland picked up the young person of the year award and the overall Stars of Suffolk award, for his selfless actions in rescuing a woman who was being attacked in her home.

Meanwhile, a Suffolk schools new musical production promised to transport audiences back to a time of big hair and neon leg warmers. Pupils from Alde Valley School made their debut appearance at Leiston Film Theatre this week with the Neil Gooding musical Back to the 80s... The Totally Awesome Musical!

Another school is celebrating after its teachers, students and governors were praised in an Ofsted inspection.

Stowmarket Middle School received a good report which highlighted the improved teaching and the strategies to develop pupils skills in literacy and numeracy.

Four blood donors have been recognised for their regular donations, after reaching significant milestones. Between them Molly Buckingham, of Beccles, Myrtle Haken, of Halesworth, Sue Hardy, from Frostenden, and Jonathan Vander-Molen, from Halesworth, have potentially saved up to 975 lives by giving blood regularly.

Kind-hearted Linzie Barton, from Hollesley, near Woodbridge, has taken a bold step all in the name of charity. The 23-year-old recently had her hair shaved off in aid of Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Ipswich Town footballers Tommy Smith, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Andy Drury and Lee Martin have visited the St Elizabeth Hospice to pledge their support for The Midnight Walk and to encourage more gents to sign up. In less than 100 days, scores of people will take to the streets of Ipswich to show their support for the hospice and it will also be the first time men can take part.

At Benjamin Britten High School in Lowestoft, students and staff showed their support for the British Heart Foundation by marking the start of National Heart Month by donning red football shirts, hats, scarves and stripy T-shirts. Teacher Jeraldine Poole even wore a red Wheres Wally?-style outfit.

A major campaign to attract more tourists to Suffolk was launched on Tuesday at the countys newly-established embassy in central London.

Actually, the embassy was the Adnams Kitchen and Cellar Store in Bloomsbury, where the Curious County initiative was officially unveiled to the media, local authority representatives, and tourism businesses. Curious County is a digital marketing campaign which uses platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to promote the quirky aspects of Suffolk.

A fundraising school has donated more than 6,000 to a charity which helps save womens lives. Ipswich High School for Girls presented a cheque for 6,374 to the Eve Appeal East Anglia, which raises funds and awareness of the five gynaecological cancers.

The 1st Acton & Waldingfield Cub Scouts spent a chilly morning at the RSPBs wildlife garden in Flatford. Assisted by warden Shirley Boyle, they undertook tasks including planting 100 native shrubs and trees donated by the Woodland Trust, transplanting wildflower seedlings into pots, spreading horse manure on to flowerbeds and helping to make traditional sheep hurdles to house a compost area.

Audiences were transported back to 1950s New York this week at a high school production of the West End smash Guys and Dolls. In full period costume and against a backdrop of the citys notorious gambling scene, a cast of 45 students from Hadleigh High delivered sell out shows this week,

Pupils have been polishing their robot outfits and practising their Shakespearean lines as they prepare for a very colourful and different school play. More than 70 senior students and staff members at Orwell Park School, in Ipswich, will put on their Return to the Forbidden Planet show.